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Thursday, August 31, 2006

My New Hero

My new hero is Carlos Tevez. This is either real or an elaborate hoax. As one can see from the picture, his website is reporting that he has signed for West Ham. I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry. This is simply unbelievable. Here's hoping its tru and it doesn't mean us selling Nigel.

Monday, July 10, 2006

Monday, June 05, 2006

World Cup Review Day -4

US Related News:

Beasley is upset about Arena not naming the lineup. There seems to be a either a lot more coverage of the U.S. team or more dissension, not sure which. Hopefully that is a good thing.'It's irritating not to know,' Beasley told a group of journalists at the U.S. base in the northern port city of Hamburg before a closed-door runout against Angola later on Monday.Link

John Barnes has been awesome on Fighting Talk, now he has become an even more my personal hero by thinking the U.S. has a chance. Not that I agree with him mind you. The U.S. has to face Italy and the Czech Republic and then when they don’t win the group they will most likely be facing Brazil.Who do you think will be the tournament's dark horses? Ivory Coast and the US, in the sense that I think they could perform above expectation in difficult groups. They both have players with top European teams and high-level European experience, which is so important.Link

Pope wants to go out on a high note. That’s all fine and good, but his high note was probably 4 years ago. Since then he just hasn’t been that good. The other problem is the U.S. doesn’t have any future replacements. Berhalter is 33, Gooche is already starting, Conrad isn’t as good as Arena seems to think, and Carlos would have to play in the center for his club side before I consider him the future. Sure Spector might be ready, but I’ll wait for him to sign with West Ham (the most recent rumor) before I root for that."This is probably the end of my national-team career, but that's OK. We don't need field players playing in five World Cups," he says. "My desire is to go out on a good note. I want to be on this team that surpassed everyone's expectations. I want to have that as my last World Cup memory."Link

Rest of the Group:

Ghana’s coach has started the mind games already. Not sure if that is the smartest thing in the world, taunting the Italians just seems stupid to me."Italy are the favourites. They are tough, but they (will) have to suffer to beat us," Dujkovic said.Link

Italy’s growing scandal is hilarious. The people in charge act like they had no idea this could be going on. All one has to do is read The Miracle of Castel di Sangro, to know this is going on and is clearly ingrained into the society. Jurgen, the German coach, who probably should be the next U.S. coach (I mean he lives in L.A., he has trained with the U.S. team, and what other options do we really have?), hopes they have a good cup despite these problems. Well Jurgen here’s hoping that this does effect the Italian team, thus giving the U.S. the upperhand in winning the group."It won't be simple for Italy, but I wish them a good tournament. I hope they don't get distracted," said Klinsmann, who played at Inter Milan.Link

Over the weekend, the Czech Republic went out and spanked Trinidad 3-0. Now maybe its because the U.S. play T&T so often, but we couldn’t beat that team by more than 1 goal throughout qualifying, and even then they were pretty even matches. This is the reason that this World Cup scares me. Italy is good. The Czech team is good and Ghana is an African team that isn’t well scouted. The U.S. has to win their first game against the Czechs if they want to qualify.Link

Rest of the World:

Crouch scored 3, but it should have been 4, against Jamaica. A good warm up game for England as they won 6-0. With that performance Sven has penciled him in as a starter. Oh and he restarted a new dance craze, “the Crouch” or as the street performers in San Francisco call it, “the Robot.”

FIFA plans on sending the referees home after a bad game. This wouldn’t be a problem if they entered the 21st century, add two more linemen or technology. Technology should easily make clearing up goals or out-of-play much easier. Adding a couple of more linesmen would certainly simplify things. Better positions, another pair of eyes trying to determine offside, with the referees making the final decision. That extra pair of eyes should also catch more dives, if FIFA really thinks that it is a problem. I personally don’t see it as widespread of problem and see of it more as a cultural thing. Notice how many foreigners get called divers and how rare it is for a local kid to be called that. (Lately there seems to be some comment that Crouch is a diver, I’m not so sure he is a diver as much as a uncoordinated giraffe.)Link

Marek ŠtěchAge: Under-17Current Team: ?????Home Country: Czech RepublicPosition: GoalkeeperPlayers on the squad at the position(s): Roy Carroll, Shaka Hislop, James Walker, Steven BywaterRumourNOTES: Looks like he's pretty good. Will be playing in the European U-17 Championship Final on Monday with the Czech Republic team. Hasn't given up a goal during play.Oh and for those who can read Czech, this article seems to speak highly of him:Link

Rudi SkacelAge: 26Current Team: HeartsHome Country: Czech RepublicPosition(s): Center MidfieldPlayers on the squad at the position(s): Hayden Mullins, Nigel Reo-Coker, Yossi Benayoun, Darren Fletcher, Christian DailyRumourStatsNOTES: Not sure exactly what position he plays, but probably an attacking midfield role in the mold of Nigel, or Yossi.

Liverpool Already Planning Victory

Monday, May 01, 2006

US National Team

US team will be announced live on ESPN at 6 tonight.Here is a list of media predictionsLink

Here is my prediction:GK (3) Keller, Hahnemann, Howard

Arena has made some babblings towards bringing players that have been to the World Cup, and one idiot, seems to think that Meola, might make the team. I don't see how thats possible. I also don't like the fact that Hahnemann wasn't given a chance at all, so I'm already pretty sure that that choice is wrong.

Injury concerns are there for Carlos, but realistically he is still our best defender. Gooche is solid. Chern is a great RB. Gibbs if healthy will be a good backup. Dunivant's play in the lead up to the selection, required his name to be called. Lewis and Hejduk are really midfielders, but their play has been at the back, so i figure they are good backups for both.

MF (7) Reyna, Donavon, Mastroeni, Olsen, Dempsey, Beasley, Convey

Look I really wanted to pick Adu. But considering I'm pretty sure that Olsen has been added to the lineup already, and the others all deserve to be there, I couldn't. I don't like the fact that Adu is getting treated like he can't play (at club level), seriously watch this video and tell me he can't play. The rest are the usual suspects. Though I feel we are really weak at DM because of O'Brien's injury.

F (5) Johnson, McBride, Wolff, Twellman, Casey

Casey is the only surprise, that and the fact that I put Landon in the midfield. Thats how coach has been playing him, so thats where he goes. Besides until he proves that he can play at a level higher than MLS, I won't like him.

Saturday, April 29, 2006

The Case For Marlon

England going into this season was sitting pretty at the forward position.Owen had scored 13 goals in limited league time (20 starts and 15 subs) for Real Madrid. He joined Newcastle were he proceeded to almost save Souness' job. .Rooney was looking to improve on his 9 goals in first season.Defoe was looking to build off 13 goals in 28 games.This year it has all gone wrong.Owen then broke his foot against Tottenham. The losing returned for Newcastle and Souness got fired. Owen has since returned, but injury rumours are still there. He might be game fit in 6 weeks time, but its going to be a long road.Rooney broke has now broken his foot in a losing effort against Premiership Champions Chelsea (saying that makes me sick). He is listed as out for 6 weeks, just enough time to be back right before the World Cup starts.Defoe lost his place to Mido and Keane. There were questions going into the season about Owen's place in the squad if he wasn't starting for Real, so I don't see why the questions won't also exist for Defoe.Both Sven and Rafa have an infatuation with Peter Crouch. The guy isn't any good, he doesn't score goals (6 in 31 games) he doesn't make goals (4 in 31 games).I believe that Darrent Bent has to be on the team. There is no doubt in my mind that the 18 goals he has scored in the Premiership have earned him a spot.If I were Sven (and how I wish, they guy gets more girls than a rock star), I would take 5 strikers. I would take both Rooney and Owen as long as they are semi-fit. I would take Darren Bent to be a starter. And I would take Jermain Defoe to be my backup to the backup (like I said who knows if Owen or Rooney are going to be fit enough to play). And finally (the entire point to this post) I would take Marlon.

Marlon has been good this season. He started the season slowly, by missing easy chances, but now has 14 goals and 4 assists in the Premiership. He is 21st in the Actim ratings (compared to Defoe's 45, Vassell's 74, and Crouch's 76). His goal scoring record in the Championship is similar to Bent's. He has scored in big games - Boro in the Semi-Final. He has a bright future, and getting at least one player on the England squad would be the cherry to this season (the whip cream will be us winning the FA Cup final).

Friday, April 28, 2006

FA Cup History

West Ham have been in the FA Cup Final four times, and have won three.Liverpool have been in twelve finals and won six.Only three teams who have been in four or more finals have a better record in the finals. (See Link) One of those teams The Wanderers no longer exist. Another, Blackburn Rovers, hasn't been back since 1960. Leaving only a hated rival, Tottenham Hotspur, as having a better record than West Ham. This points to history being on West Ham's side. I'm hoping we see a 2-1 vicotry. Here is the historical record of West Ham in the FA Cup, from the fabled White Horse game to our most recent win (the last time a non-premier league team won the Cup).